"The House emphatically rejected a measure Sunday that would have called
on the president to express concern to Germany about government
discrimination against minority religions, including Scientology. 'I
think is inappropriate,' said Rep. Doug Bereuter, R-Neb., an opponent. 'It
is unbalanced. It is damaging to our relations with Germany.' Among
supporters, Rep. Matt Salmon, R-Ariz., argued that 'if we can't speak
harshly to allies, who can we speak to? ... Let's stand up for what we
profess to believe and that is religious tolerance.'"

From Agence France Presse:

"The US House of Representatives rejected Sunday a motion that would have
condemned German authorities for alleged discrimination against religious
minorities, particularly Scientologists. The measure would have called
for condemnation of actions and statements by German federal and religious
authorities which it said have fed an atmosphere of intolerance toward
some religious minorities. It also would have called on President Bill
Clinton to voice concern about alleged violations of religious minorities
rights. Germany's ambassador to Washington, Juergen Chrobog, wrote to the
house international affairs committee chairman Ben Gilman to protest the
charges as totally groundless and absurd."

From the House debate:

"Mr. WISE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to this resolution.
If there is discrimination then it should be pointed out, but it should be
pointed out in all the places it might occur. But here efforts are being
made to single out Germany. I rise in opposition because there are
differing views about some of the specific allegations. One of the
performers that has been mentioned here has played in Germany as recently
as last year at a function that received funding from the State of
Bavaria. The movies that have supposedly been boycotted indeed have been
shown and have been hits in Germany, financial successes.

"I rise in opposition because if we are talking about the Church of
Scientology. Our own country did not grant tax-exempt status to that
church until 1993. Indeed, there is a long list of nations, Belgium,
France, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Luxembourg,
Mexico, Spain that presently decline to grant that same status.

"I rise in opposition because France, Italy, and Greece recently have
taken actions which could be considered as discrimination in the sense
they had made rulings against this Church of Scientology, and yet this
resolution does not mention them.

"Finally, because in a statement by Michael Friedman of the Central
Council of Jews in Germany, responding to many of the charges made, he
writes, 'They are totally off the mark. Today we have a democracy in
Germany and a state based on rule of law.'

"The sponsors have heightened awareness about alleged discrimination in
many places, but let us not single out an ally with relatively
unsubstantiated charges. Instead, let us engage and talk to each other as
the true friends we are. There are American men and women in Bosnia today
side by side with German men and women holding up an important part of our
European responsibilities. Germany works with us in so many different
ways. Let us recognize that and vote this resolution down, at the same
time urging that discrimination everywhere be pointed out and that we deal
with it together."

The German government praised the vote, and plan an information campaign
to explain Germany's position that Scientology is not a religion. From
Reuters:

"Germany on Monday hailed the U.S. Congress for voting down a resolution
accusing Bonn of discriminating against minority religious groups,
particularly the Church of Scientology. Government officials also
dismissed claims that Germans were being persecuted because of their
religious beliefs and said they were astonished by reports that a German
member of the Church had received asylum in the United States. 'This shows
that reason has prevailed,' Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel said after the
U.S. House of Representatives voted against a measure urging President
Bill Clinton to express U.S. concern about Germany's treatment of
religious minorities, in particular Scientology."

"German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel was quoted on Wednesday as saying he
planned an 'information campaign' to explain to U.S. senators Germany's
refusal to accept Scientology as a religion. Germany argues that the Los
Angeles-based Church of Scientology is, in Germany at least, more of a
business concern than a religion. It has also placed the group under
nationwide surveillance on suspicion of anti-constitutional activity

"Kinkel told the Stuttgarter Nachrichten daily that though the U.S.
Congress had defeated a resolution accusing Bonn of religious
discrimination, there was still 'a huge lack of awareness' about the
German position among U.S. politicians. 'I have made it absolutely clear
that the German government is in no way persecuting Scientology,' Kinkel,
who visited Washington last week, was quoted as saying. 'Through our
embassy and through the media, we shall try to spread information through
America so that these false assertions do not surface in the future,' he
said. Singling out New York Senator Alfonso D'Amato as one of the most
vociferous critics of the German position, he added: 'Senator D'Amato, I
ask you: please let's not act like this.'"

Scientologist-owned TradeNet Marketing agreed to a settlement with the
State of Oregon over its laundry ball product, which tested as being
nothing more than blue water. From the St. Petersburg Times:

"Dunedin-based TradeNet Marketing Inc. has agreed to pay $190,000 to
Oregon's Department of Justice and to no longer market in Oregon the
plastic balls that it bills as an alternative to laundry detergent.
Individual distributors in Oregon also have been ordered to stop selling
the laundry balls. TradeNet admitted no violation of the law in court
agreements filed Wednesday, but agreed to pay $125,000 for future consumer
protection and education and $65,000 for restitution to consumers.

"Florida, Utah, Michigan and the Federal Trade Commission also are
investigating TradeNet's products and business practices. 'When we
started with the product we were led to believe that it worked,' said a
statement released by TradeNet Thursday. 'Later when we had learned from
Oregon and Utah there were inconsistencies, we then decided not to market
the product.'

"Restitution to Oregonians will be on a first-come, first-served basis,
limited to $75 a person, the cost of one of the balls. TradeNet still is
selling other products, such as a device to improve automotive engine
performance and water filters, according to the company's statement
released Thursday. In documents supplied to the Florida Attorney General's
Office, company officials have made reference to financial problems and
said the three-story former bank building the company bought at 380 Main
St. in July is for sale."

From the Oregon Department of Justice:

"The Laundry Solution, also known as the 'Blue Ball,' consists of a
plastic sphere containing a blue liquid. In marketing the products, the
companies first claimed that the sphere used specially treated 'structured
water' to emit a negative charge through the walls of the sphere. The
companies further stated that when the sphere is used in a washing
machine, the negative charge cleans clothes and eliminates the need for
detergent. The companies later revised these claims in brochures
distributed with the products. The printed information stated that the
spheres now contained 'Ie Crystals' that, again, were supposed to enable
the globes to clean clothes. The 'globes' later were replaced by
'SuperGlobes' that were supposed to be used with an additive that
contained detergent.

"Results of the tests indicated that the water in the spheres had no
special characteristics. The 'globe products' essentially contain nothing
more than water, blue dye and a foaming additive contained within an
impermeable plastic shell. The Department therefore concluded that the
products do not constitute nor create a detergent substitute."

Ray Randolph received email from Cartoonist Jim Berry, who was a target of
Scientology for some of his cartoons about Scientology.

"The subject of Scientology brought back upsetting memories. Years ago a
reader sent me an article about Scientology that appeared in a northern
Florida newspaper (Tallahassee?). It was about how the 'church' operated
with respect to dealing with the people on their 'enemies list.' It seems
I did one or two cartoons that they didn't like. In the piece there was
reference to 'Operation 'Berry's World,' or some such title. It told about
the leader of the church of Scientology urging all of its members to write
and call newspapers across the country and complain about my feature -
telling editors and publishers to drop 'Berry's World.' This was an
organized effort to kill my career and I had no idea that it was
happening. It's a wonder my feature survived the onslaught. I decline to
write anything further about this subject."

Message-ID: 64f9l5$mdr@drn.zippo.com

New CAN

The Scientology-controlled Cult Awareness Network settled a lawsuit
against the Landmark Education cult this week. From UPI:

"In a settlement announced today in Chicago and San Francisco, CAN agreed
that it never had any evidence showing Landmark Education Corp. or its
programs, including the Landmark Forum, were a cult. Cult Awareness
Network spokeswoman Nancy O'Meara in Los Angeles says, 'We are a religious
tolerance organization that gives people reliable information and
reconciles families though mediation. The vile and hateful attitude is
gone.'

"Landmark filed suit against the Cult Awareness Network in 1994 after the
old group characterized Landmark as being a cult or cult-like and called
the settlement 'a positive step in setting the record straight.' Landmark
chairman Art Schreiber says, 'It has always been our intention to
demonstrate to the Board of Directors of CAN through the independent
research and opinions of numerous experts that any notion that Landmark or
its programs are cult or cult-like is absurd.' Based in San Francisco,
Landmark offers educational and human development programs through 57
offices in 14 countries."

Message-ID: 19971111010614.17662.qmail@omni1.voicenet.com

Sex Pest

PA News reported that a Dorchester man has received damages to compensate
him for an accident that has changed his personality so that he is a
sexual pest to women. The man donated 15,000 pounds to Scientology after
the accident.

"Peter Lawrence summed up his problems as: 'short term memory,
concentration and women or to put it another way - women, women and
women.' Mr. Lawrence, 39, of Dorchester, Dorset, suffered a severe head
injury in the 1991 collision when he was knocked off his motorcycle on the
A322 by-pass in Surrey. His intelligence was undamaged - even possibly
enhanced - but he had been left with impaired memory and a change of
personality caused by damage to those parts of the brain which govern
behaviour, emotion and control. This had shown itself, particularly, in
sexual disinhibition so that he was an 'offensive pest or worse' when he
came into contact with women, said Mr. Justice May in London.

"His extravagance with money showed itself in 1992 when he donated up to
15,000 to the Church of Scientology - of which his solicitor managed to
recover 5,000. Mr. Lawrence drove impulsively and fast, and his flat was
a shambles. He bought tapes, CDs and videos impulsively and was
excessively tempted by special offers."

Message-ID: 648k2t$ofi@basement.replay.com

Germany

The International Herald Tribune carried a letter on the
Scientology/Germany controversy.

"A meeting in Washington on Nov.5 between the U.S. secretary of state,
Madeleine Albright, and Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel of Germany included,
as a topic of conversation, the status of a 'religion' whose doctrine
states that human beings are clusters of spirits formerly trapped in ice
and banished to Earth about 75 million years ago by the ruler of a
26-planet Galactic Confederation named Xenu.

"As an American lawyer living in Frankfurt, I cannot help but feeling
ashamed. How can the U.S. government criticize Germany for regarding
Scientology as a business and not a tax-exempt religion, a legal ruling,
the United States held for 25 years? Could it really be possible under
U.S. immigration law that, by the mere act of not being given tax-exempt
status, German Scientologists would be allowed to seek asylum in the
United States for religious persecution? Above all, why must Germany
subscribe to the same religious definitions as the United States?"

Message-ID: 346C5EC8.E07@metronet.de

Jairus Godeka

The Oregonian reported this week that Scientologist Jairus Godeka may be
fit to stand trial in the near future. Godeka is accused of shooting staff
at the Portland org.

"Jairus C. Godeka has been receiving psychological treatment at Oregon
State Hospital since January. At a status hearing Friday, one of Godeka's
attorneys, Ronald Fishback, said that conversations with Rick Hulteng, an
Oregon State Hospital psychologist, indicated that Godeka was making
progress, but he remained delusional. Multnomah County Circuit Judge
Frank L. Bearden said he hoped a trial date could be set soon after Godeka
was determined fit to stand trial. 'We should have a trial shortly
thereafter because who knows how much longer he'll be able to aid and
assist,' Bearden said, noting that Godeka could lapse back into a
delusional state at any time.

"Godeka is accused of shooting four people and holding a fifth hostage
Sept. 25, 1996, as he tried to set fire to the Church of Scientology
Celebrity Centre at the corner of Southwest Salmon Street and Broadway.
Police said Godeka walked in the front door carrying a gasoline container
and a .45-caliber Ruger semi-automatic handgun. he shot the receptionist
in the chest and then shot two people who came downstairs, police said.
Another man was shot in the hip. He told police he attacked the church
because its members were exerting mind control over him and had ruined his
life."

"Helena Kobrin with a paralegal show up to give me a mini-deposition and
to announce that the cult will be challenging the discharge of a potential
$11 million plus costs if I am found liable court in the cult litigation
against me. She was most interested in the identity and the supposed
purposes behind any gifts I have received in the last year. While most of
the identities of donors are not recorded and I do not remember them, I
did remember a few of the larger ones and submitted them to the 'ho. Of
course her intent is to try to figure out how to harass and dissuade such
donors from helping critics. She also said that she would be submitting
motions to lift the automatic stay so the January litigation can proceed
on time and to submit motions objecting to discharge so that they hope
they can -- if they prevail at trial -- to continue to harass me in
perpetuity."

"She wanted to know who owed our house (my mother-in-law) why I valued the
88 Volvo station wagon at $2800 (150k miles may provide a clue), if my
$2000 worth of books had any special collections (nope, just a lot of
them), but *most importantly*, she wanted to know -- and asked at least
four times -- whether the money gift from Bob Minton was for any
*purpose*. No. None of the money gifts have been for anything specific;
Bob's was no different. And thank you again, Bob, it really warms the
cockles of my heart to be able to answer the 'ho's question in front of a
packed courtroom that the best I could figure is that the people who sent
help just like me and detest the criminal cult of scientology."

The upcoming Channel 4 documentary on L. Ron Hubbard continues to make
news as Scientology harasses the creators of the piece with private
investigator Eugene Ingram. Chris Owen reported that the police are now
looking for Eugene in the UK.

"I'm told that the police have now issued a warrant for Ingram's arrest.
The offence, I presume, is criminal harassment which now - following
Michael Howard's infamous Criminal Justice Act - carries a stiff jail
sentence. Because we don't have regional jurisdictions in this country,
the warrant means that any police force in England and Wales is now
required to arrest Ingram on sight. If anyone sees Ingram while he's
still in the UK, call Tunbridge Wells police; they'll be interested to
hear from you!"

"The Channel 4 documentary on Hubbard (19th Nov, 9pm) has resulted in
further sustained bad publicity for Scientology. Following John Travolta's
attempt to bully C4 into dropping the programme and the Independent on
Sunday's expose of Scientology PI Eugene Ingram's harassment of the film's
authors, virtually every newspaper and TV listings guide has selected the
programme as their 'pick of the day'."

From the Guardian:

"Having gained instant fame as the film John Travolta doesn't want you to
see, Jill Robinson's expose of L. Ron Hubbard, sci-fi fantasist turned
self-proclaimed messiah, goes ahead as planned. Of course, accusations of
fraudulent behaviour are hardly a recent phenomenon. Hubbard spent half
his life on the run from charges of being a gold-digging charlatan - at
one point escaping to the high seas, and countering investigation by the
US authorities with Operation Snow White, a military-styled exercise to
infiltrate high office. What's so damning is the personal recollections by
Hubbard's former associates: the man who wanted out when L. Ron's son -
under the influence of speed - recounted his past life as a primordial
clam. Or the woman who watched aghast as Hubbard, by this time suffering
from a paranoia of almost Stalinist proportions, imprisoned a young boy
for two days for some minor misdemeanor. Church of the poisoned mind,
indeed."

Keith Henson reported that his copyright violation trial will begin on
December 2nd.

"It seems that a jury may be required to consider if my alleged postings
were 'willful.' I suppose they were not, since to this day I do not
believe that exposing criminal activity should subject a person to trade
secret and copyright provisions of the law. If they will let me present
information about what I am accused of violating copyright on, the jury
might find it rather interesting. Besides that, there is a fair chance
that the whole thing might have to be done over if the Supreme Court rules
that the law requires juries to determine statutory damages. And, of
course, the possibility that MoFo will prevail that RTC doesn't even have
the standing to sue anyone over this stuff."

Message-ID: hkhensonEJKKy2.2un@netcom.com

Lawrence Wollersheim

Lawrence Wollersheim received a judgment this week that he can begin asset
seizure from Scientology to satisfy his $6 million award, unless a $9
million bond is posted.

"Scientology filed an ex parte petition, some time back, to forestall
collection of the judgment and the Court's response was a simple, one
line, DENIED, response to the petitioners, with a copy to Wollersheim's
attorneys. There was no hearing as it was simply a judicial ruling on
Scientology's ex parte motion, in the absence of Wollersheim's attorneys.

"Scientology's latest motion: Their lawyers made a new petition for appeal
on the grounds that they were denied 'due process'. A hearing is scheduled
for 5 Dec 97 and the likelihood of a favorable ruling for Scientology is
considered slim to none. This particular court has been involved in 22
motions that Scientology filed and reportedly the court has grown totally
impatient and intolerant with their antics. Their ONLY hope at this time
is to post the NINE million dollar bond."

Message-ID: 64kq2h$2d4@mtinsc02.worldnet.att.net

LA Weekly

The free newspaper LA Weekly carried an article on Scientology's school
books this week.

"Johanna Lemlech, a professor of education at USC specializing in
curriculum and teaching, calls the books 'awful.' They 'violate everything
we know about how children learn, and appropriate pedagogy,' she says. 'In
short, these books should be carefully placed in the cylindrical file.'

"For her part, Weinberg dismisses as groundless any fear that the Applied
Scholastics materials are a recruiting tool. 'Do people get brought into
Scientology' as a result of using these books? she asks. 'Hell no. That's
not the aim. They go and learn how to study. They go off and they do their
studies. That's what they do.'

"After the interview in her office, she brings in Teresa Posner, who
teaches sixth-grade math and science at Porter Middle School in Granada
Hills. Shortly after she received her credential, Posner says, she
learned about Applied Scholastics from a friend and began using the
techniques of study technology. Eventually, she wanted to learn more.
'After studying the Hubbard study techniques for about three years, I
wanted to know what other things Hubbard did,' she recalls. She began
devouring his science fiction, and his religious writings as well. She was
so impressed that she joined the church. 'The principles of Scientology,'
she says, 'just made so much sense.'

"Since Weinberg had just emphatically denied that people like Teresa
Posner exist, it's hard to believe she set up this interview, right here
in the president's office at the international headquarters of Applied
Scholastics. Apparently the company representative monitoring the
conversation can't believe it either. He quietly slips out of the room.
Within minutes, two Applied Scholastics staffers appear, inform Posner of
an emergency phone call and escort her away. End of interview."

Scientology is on the agenda of he Organisation for Security and
Cooperation in Europe, as it begins a three-week meeting on human rights.
From Reuters:

"Senior officials of the 55 OSCE states from Europe, Central Asia and
North America will discuss religious and media freedoms, prevention of
torture and protection of ethnic minorities, particularly Gypsies in
Eastern Europe. Among many groups lobbying the meeting are the New
York-based Committee to Protect Journalists, especially concerned over
media freedom in Azerbaijan and Armenia, and members of the Los
Angeles-based Church of Scientology who complain over their treatment in
Germany.

"The OSCE, originating in the 1970s as a forum for East-West dialogue, has
built a role as a monitor of democracy, human rights, arms control and
helping with peacekeeping operations."

From RFE:

"David Little, a member of the U.S. delegation to the conference attended
by representatives from 55 countries said the U.S. is concerned about the
rise of intolerance toward smaller religious groups. Little quoted an
example of bad treatment of the members of the Church of Scientology in
Germany, where some of its members lost their jobs because of their
affiliation. In Austria, he said, the government is attempting to protect
citizens from so-called 'dangerous cults of sects' not included among the
13 officially recognized religious organizations.

"'We raise these criticisms in a constructive spirit,' Little said, adding
that all participating states should recommit themselves to the 1989
Vienna Concluding Document dealing with a necessity of promoting a mutual
tolerance between believes of different communities."

The St. Petersburg Times carried an article on holiday decorations in
downtown Clearwater. The decorating organization is headed by Bennetta
Slaughter, a Scientologist and former employer of the late Lisa McPherson.

"Volunteers have been working to decorate trees and outline retail
buildings with white lights. They also plan to wrap the city's light poles
with candy stripes. The decorations are being installed along Cleveland
Street, from East Avenue to Osceola Avenue. A ceremony to switch on the
lights is scheduled for just after sundown Nov. 28 at Station Square Park
downtown.

"The group, formed last month, is known as the Clearwater Beautification
and Development Association. Its leader, Bennetta Slaughter, said it is
composed of Scientologists who operate local businesses and want to help
retailers develop 'a very vibrant, eclectic, bustling downtown.' 'I just
saw it as a way to really liven that up,' she said. As a former
coordinator of Scientology's Winter Wonderland display, Slaughter has some
experience with pulling off large holiday events. City officials said
Slaughter raised $5,000 for the project in a single evening during a
merchants' gathering at the Church of Scientology's Clearwater Building.

"Her group's involvement in the holiday project comes as Scientologists
are becoming more involved in Clearwater's civic affairs, especially
downtown. About 1,000 Scientologists helped in a downtown cleanup before
the Clearwater Jazz Holiday. In addition, Slaughter's group has become
involved in an effort to commission outdoor murals along the downtown
segment of the Pinellas Trail scheduled to open Dec. 6. This week,
Slaughter handed the city's Downtown Development Board a check for $10,000
for the murals project. The money was raised by her new business
organization."

Message-ID: 6475d4$nsa@netaxs.com

Xenu Leaflet

An anonymous Australian critic reported being visited by Scientologists
this week in response to a posting from April of the Xenu leaflet. The
Scientologists came prepared with legal documents for him to sign.

"Had a visit (I'm in Perth, Western Australia, about as far away as you
can get from all the interesting action) from a couple of $cio's - one
local and one from the East (Carmen something ???). It was about a
posting of mine in April. Apparently it was about my 'distributing
confidential materials'. I think maybe it referred to Roland's Xenu
leaflet (is that confidential?)

"[T]hey had had a prepared 'document' for me to sign, avowing that I
wouldn't do this or that. It was far too encompassing and I wouldn't sign
it of course, but by way of 'ending cycle' for them I agreed not to
distribute any confidential materials (is there such a thing anymore?)